First Filipina to win Best Actress at the 69th Cannes Film Festival

The 52-year-old veteran actress, Jaclyn Jose won best actress for her role in Brillante Mendoza’s film, “Ma’Rosa.” Among her other contenders were Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart.

“I am so surprised. I just went to have the red carpet walk with my daughter, my real-life daughter and my daughter in the movie also,” Jose said as she accepted the award on Sunday, referring to her daughter Andi Eigenmann. “To Cannes, thank you so much, thank you to the jury, thank you that you liked our film.”

Her role is a mother who is a store owner and sells drugs on the side with her husband (Julio Diaz) to make ends meet, when they get arrested, the entire family becomes desperate to buy her freedom from corrupt police.

“It happened, that’s why it had to be told,” the acclaimed director remarked, who is known for tackling dark social issues in his films.

“As an artist, as a filmmaker, you have to share it with the rest of the world for them to realize and also for them to think about it, that such situation should not happen,” he added. In 2009, Brillante Mendoza became the first Filipino to win best director for his film, “Kinatay.”